12 Ways to Enhance Client Management Effectively & Efficiently

The key to success in any business is building lasting relationships with clients. However, managing relationships is complicated due to numerous human factors. People are still people — even in business.

So, what can you do when managing clients takes up too much of your time and energy? Utilize your skills and the tools around you to practice efficient and effective client management. Discover different ways to improve client relationships below.

What Is Client Management?

Practicing effective client management skills will certainly improve your clients' experiences with your accounting firm, but what exactly does that involve? 

Essentially, client management is the actions you take to maintain and improve the working relationship with a client to ensure they receive the highest quality of service. It includes discovering what the client needs from you and measuring how well you deliver on those needs. 

Using a combination of good communication and modern technology, excellent client management is well within reach.

The Difference between Client and Customer

When discussing client management, it's important to differentiate clients from customers. While in most spaces, they're interchangeable, in service-oriented businesses, they're very different.

Customers tend to be buyers of products. They don't want or need to develop a relationship with the company beyond what products they offer. 

Clients develop a relationship with the business. They rely on the service (like accounting) and the people who run it. Without good client management, clients won't develop a long-term relationship with the business and are more likely to look elsewhere. 

This further illustrates why client management is crucial to your business.

12 Skills and Tools to Use in Client Management

Here are 12 simple, effective client management skills and tools to use:

1. Communicate in the Client's Preferred Method(s)

The first step in learning how to manage client relationships efficiently is establishing a client's preferred communication method. At your initial meeting with a client, be sure to ask what mode of communication works best for them and the best time to make contact. 

Your client will appreciate you showing concern for their preferences. Plus, you're more likely to get a timely response and not have to keep asking for the same information. Why keep emailing a client several times a week if they're likely to answer a phone call the first time? 

2. Invest in Cloud-Based CRM Software 

Good accounting client management software includes client relationship management (CRM) capabilities. The right software is crucial for building client relationships, from organizing client information to automating follow-ups. 

CRM tools track what's happening with each client when clients need to be contacted, and what's ahead for a client's case. 

For example, with client management software like Canopy, you can get both a deep dive and a comprehensive overview of all your client's information. This includes information for the dependents they list as well. 

From one screen, you can upload a file, add a task, add a note, and update contact and dependent information. Anyone on your team can view a client profile and be up to speed on that client within minutes. 

3. Follow Up Consistently with Clients

When dealing with clients, make following up a priority in your routine rather than something done when trying to close a deal. This shows you value the client as a person, not just for their money. Doing this establishes a more emotional relationship versus a transactional one. 

Whatever the reason for doing follow-up, make sure it's automated. 

It takes time to create and send new emails every time you need to follow up with a client. If you use a CRM tool, you can automate follow-ups so the software does it for you. You can schedule all of a client's follow-ups in one sitting and not revisit it for the week. Doing so opens space up for more intimate correspondence with multiple clients. 

Canopy sends automated reminders and requests to your clients as often as you choose. Additionally, users can now automate their firm, thanks to workflow automation for tasks and subtasks. Investing in this type of software may be an extra initial cost, but the time you'll save will be invaluable as you grow your firm and have more clients to manage. 

4. Set Clear Expectations with Your Client 

When managing client expectations, the more your client knows what to expect from your work, the more they'll trust you. This can also prevent unwanted client behavior.

Think of it like this: The more proactive you are with setting expectations, the less your clients will try to get away with limit-pushing behaviors within your working relationship.

If a client continually disregards your expectations, consider stopping casework for a time. For example, if you've requested forms from a client, give them a deadline for when those forms must be in. If they don't send them in time, stop working on the case until you receive all the necessary forms. 

Managing client expectations requires a working relationship that goes both ways. 

5. Schedule Client Management Tasks Weekly 

To stay organized and time-efficient, set aside time to schedule and review your client management tasks weekly. As you review each case, decide what you can do to improve each client's experience with your firm. 

During this uninterrupted time, focus on what each client needs from you that week. Do you have follow-ups to conduct? Are there several clients you need to call back? These and other tasks can be planned out so you stay organized and efficient. 

Additionally, after you've implemented these tasks into your schedule, treat them as hard deadlines. When the time comes to complete the tasks, don't put them off for other work. Nurturing your relationships with clients is just as important as other work you do. 

Being rigorous with this schedule helps with managing client expectations for future interactions.

6. Collaborate with Clients through Client Portals 

Clients love client portals, and you will too. A client portal is a secure digital space where clients can interact with your accounting firm. 

Client collaboration is the most significant function of a client portal. Using a client portal, you and your client can securely send each other files, notes, requests, and questions at the click of a button. 

No more unanswered emails getting lost in your client's inbox. No more faxing documents. No more waiting for your client to visit and hand important papers to you. With their portal, your client can simply send you any necessary documents from anywhere they have internet access. 

Additionally, client portals often offer payment functionality, and clients are more likely to pay you promptly if they can pay you online. 

7. Use Client Portals to Provide Better Transparency 

The transparency of client portals leads to improved client trust and a stronger relationship. The more a client can see what you're doing in their case, the less you're calling, emailing, and meeting with them to answer questions. This leaves you with more time to complete work on their case. 

Using a client portal doesn't mean you won't ever need to call clients or meet in person, but it does make communication more efficient and keeps casework moving. 

8. Know When to Say "No" 

Sometimes, a client requests a service that's not practical or best for their casework. A significant aspect of learning how to deal with clients is knowing when to say "no" to them.

Of course, in the interest of client retention, you need to say no in the right way. Whenever you turn down a client's request, be honest and upfront. Try offering a different solution and explain why it will be more beneficial to them. 

If you can't offer a solution within your firm, consider referring them to a different firm you have a good relationship with. 

9. Get Outside Perspectives 

It's impossible to always have the right answer. Sometimes, you run into an issue with a client that you can't seem to solve, no matter what you try. That's when you should turn to an outside perspective. 

Find a trusted person and discuss the problem with them. It can be a coworker, mentor, or even a loved one. You never know; they may look at the situation from a completely different perspective. 

10. Keep Documents Organized

Accounting involves a lot of documentation that must be organized. If you misplace or lose a document, you don't just lose the information it contained—you also lose the client's trust. Documentation should include not only the work you do for their case but also any important communication. 

Keeping records organized can also help answer client questions or solve a potential dispute if a client thinks you didn't do the promised job. 

While you're at it, it can't hurt to back up your records regularly to ensure their safety, too.

11. Ask for Feedback

While sometimes no feedback is good feedback, that will only get you so far. Regularly request feedback from clients, even if they haven't had complaints. They could be satisfied with your service but also have ideas for how to make it better.

Making and keeping clients happy is a key component in client management, and asking for feedback shows you care about your service and the client. Depending on how busy you both are, you can ask for feedback through meetings or surveys. 

12. Work Smarter, Not Harder

It's all too easy to commit to practicing more efficient and effective client management skills but get overwhelmed when it comes to execution. It makes more sense to work smarter, not harder. 

Along with setting aside time to schedule your week, set time each day to complete tasks using the best tools at your disposal. Once you work efficient client management into your routine, it will come more naturally and take less of your time. 

Develop Effective Client Management Skills With CRM Software 

If you're looking to implement these best practices for efficient client management, start by investing in an accounting practice management software like Canopy. 

Not only will Canopy help you keep track of all your client information securely, but your clients will also have access to a client portal to make collaboration even easier. They'll be able to sign engagement letters, share files, make payments, and more.

Learn more about how our CRM features can add value to your firm and improve in developing effective client management skills!